Dimapur, August 6 (MExN): On the occasion of Metümnyo festival, S Keoshu Yimkhiung, Advisor to IPR & VG, Government of Nagaland conveyed greetings to all the Yimkhiung community.
The Advisor said that ‘Metümnyo,’ the premier festival of Yimkhiung (Naga) is celebrated from August 1 to 8 every year after the harvest of millet. “It is an occasion for friends and relatives to treat one another with food and drinks and a propitious time to consolidate love and friendship with enemies and a promising time to declare for hosting the feast of merit. The festival has multitude significances,” he stated.
During the festival, the children are sanctified by the parents by means of setting six pieces of meat for the male child and five for the female child to indicate that the male have six souls and female five. Subsequently, it is marked with engagements of young lovers by the parents who are vowed for marriage and may fix the date during this occasion. Gifts are exchanged amongst brothers and married sisters. Further, various rituals are performed for invoking bountiful harvest and blessings throughout the year and also to ward off evil spirits that mean harm.
“It is a festival of reconciliation, forgiveness and building strong bond between brethrens and neighbors. Furthermore, I pray that this festival brings you all a joy, love, peace, unity and prosperity throughout the year,” Keoshu added.
